Hope, Arkansas, man pleads guilty to lying about income, assets, in 2017 bankruptcy

Restitution of $100,000 owed to Farm Service Agency as part of plea agreement

TEXARKANA, Arkansas -- A Hope, Arkansas, man pleaded guilty in a Texarkana federal court last week to lying in his 2017 bankruptcy.

Brody Wayne Clark has agreed to pay $100,000 in restitution to the Farm Service Agency as part of his plea agreement in the Texarkana Division of the Western District of Arkansas. According to his plea agreement, Clark falsely claimed in a May 30, 2017, bankruptcy petition that he'd only made $10,000 since Jan. 1, 2017.

The plea agreement notes that Clark deposited more than $60,000 into his checking account from the sale of cattle in March 2017 and nearly $19,000 into his account from the sale of cattle in early May 2017.

Clark falsely claimed he did not have any farm-related property when he did.

Clark pleaded guilty Thursday to an information charging him with knowingly making a false bankruptcy declaration at a video hearing before U.S. District Judge Susan Hickey.

Clark faces up to five years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000, or both, at sentencing. A date for sentencing will be set once the court has received a report with a recommendation for punishment under federal sentencing guidelines.

Clark is represented by Grant Ballard of Little Rock. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Wulff is prosecuting.

Clark is currently free on an unsecured appearance bond of $5,000.

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